Grant will help rescue group relocate 40 cats living at Pollardville Ghost Town in Stockton, California
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SACRAMENTO, CA (November 10, 2006) – United Animal Nations (UAN) today issued a $1,300 grant to help a local animal rescue group relocate 40 cats who have been living at the Pollardville Chicken Kitchen Restaurant and Ghost Town in Stockton, which is scheduled for demolition in 2007.
UAN’s LifeLine Crisis Relief Grant will help rescuers with the El Dorado, California-based Agee Memorial Wildlife Fund pay for vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, and other veterinary care so they can move the cats to a safer place.
Cindy Minghelli, president of the Agee Memorial Wildlife Fund, first learned that sick and feral cats were living on the property in 2004, when she stopped at the Chicken Kitchen Restaurant for lunch. She began trapping the cats and having them spayed and neutered to prevent the population from growing, but recently learned the property was sold and would be bulldozed in 2007, even with the cats on the premises.
“Cindy has been working single-handedly to make sure these cats will not be killed by bulldozers or left to die of starvation and sickness,” said UAN President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “We are pleased to be able to give her financial assistance so she can move these cats to safer territory.”
Minghelli will use the grant to trap the animals, have them vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and move them to an enclosure that she and her husband are building on their personal property.
Volunteers interested in assisting with the relocation effort can contact Cindy Minghelli at (916) 939-0499.
“I spent hours on the phone trying to get help saving these cats, and only United Animal Nations answered the call,” Minghelli said. “Nobody else was willing to help because of the overpopulation crisis throughout the
UAN awards LifeLine Crisis Relief Grants to non-profit, animal welfare organizations that step in during emergency situations involving a large group of animals. This is one of several grants UAN has awarded to organizations throughout the country this year to assist with relocation of cats from property slated for demolition.
About UAN: Now celebrating its 20th year, United Animal Nations (UAN) is
About the Agee Memorial Wildlife Fund: Cindy and Ed Minghelli established the fund in 1999 in memory of Richard and Betty Agee to help and needless animal suffering through spaying, neutering, adopting and other approaches.
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